Flexible coupling.



E. THOMSON & R. H. RICE.

FLEXIBLE COUPLING.

APPLIOATION FILED we. 3, 1907.

925,731 Patented June 22, 1909.

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t 3 W tnesses: venbor's,

' ElihuThomson, l2 /2 Richard Rice,

Oqtt'y E. THOMSON & R. H. RICE.

FLEXIBLE COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 3, 1901.

I Patented June 22,1909.

Fig.3.

Inventors, El i hu Thomson,

Richard .Rice, y

To all whom it may concern:

UNITED sT trEs PATENT OFFICE.

ELIHU THOMSON, F SWAMPSOOTT, AND RICHARD H. RICE, 0F LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNORS TO GENERAL EL OTRIO COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

COUPLING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 22, 1909.

Application filed August 8, 1907. Serial No. 886,979.

Be it known that we, ELIHU THoMsoN and RIOHARD H. RICE, citizens of the United States, residing at Swampscott, county of Essex, State of Massachusetts, and Lynn, county of Essex, State of Massachusetts, re-

I spectively, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flexible Couplings,

' of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to shaft cou lings, and its object is to enable two adjacent shafts whose axes are liable to get out of alinement to be so coupled as not to interfere with'the proper running of each shaft and yet effecta rigid connection between them so far as the transmission of tor ue is concerned. In other words, the two s afts may be displaced with respect to each other either in ahnement or laterall or both, but

are incapable of angular disp acement.

The invention consists in a species of universal joint comprising two disks of elastic sheet metal, such as steel, whose centers are secured res ectively to the ends of thetwo shafts, whi e their Outer edges are connected together, preferabl by means of an interposed collar or. co lars. The disks are 7 preferably laminated to give them the requisite flexibility in lines parallel with the axes of the shafts, while at the same time they possess great rigidit in their own planes so as to resist torslona strains.

In the accompanyin drawing, Figure 1 is a side elevation, part y broken away, of a plllow block having two shaft bearin s with a spacebetween them for an improve cou ling; Fig. 2 1s a sectional elevation of t e coupling on a larger scale; Fig. 3 is an end view thereof taken on the line 33, Fig. 2, but on a smaller scale than Fi 2; Fig. 4 is aperspectlve view of one of t e disks, and Fig. 5 1s a longitudinal section of a coupling embodying a modified construction.

The pillow block 1is mounted on a suit' Suflicient space is left between the two bear-. m

s to receive the coupling, which is prefer protectedby a cover 8, cast integral wit the caps of the bearings, if desired.

A sleeve 9 is s lined on each shaft, and after being proper y adjusted longitudinally along the shaft it is locked in position by a set screw 10. The sleeve has a circumferential flange 11 which is faced off to receive the central portion of the flexible disk 12, formedpreferably of a suitable number of thin laminations of sheet metal, preferably steel. The disk is fastened to the flange by rivets 13, which pass also through a flat ring 14 laid against the surface of the disk, and preferably centered by a short hub 15 proecting from the sleeve through a central 0 ening 16 in the disk. The opposing faces of the flange and ring in contact with'the disk are eased off at their outer edges forming sli htlycurved surfaces which permit the dis to flex without making a sharp bend.

The outer edge portions of the two disks are connected together. In Figs. 1 and 2 they are secured to an interposed collar 17, by means of annular washers 18 and through bolts 19. i The thickness of the collar is such that the adjacent ends of the sleeves 9 are se arated by a small s ace sufficient to perm1t the relative disp acement of the two displacement of the shafts, but all tOISIOHiLl,

strains are transmitted as perfectly as thou h the flanges on the sleeves were bolted toget er directly.

The modification shown in Fig. 5 is designed to give greaterfreedom of movement. Instead 0 one collar 17, three collars 20 are used, arranged side by side. The middle one is referabl rabbeted to those on each side of 1t to faci itate assemblin The eripheries of the CllSkS may be protected by an overlapping flange 21, formed either on the collar 17 as in Fig. 2, or on the washer 18, as in Fig. 5.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, we have described the principle of operation of our invention, together with the ap aratus which we now consider to represent tflfebestembodiment thereof but we desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is only illustrative, and t at the invention can be carried out by, other means.

What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is,-

1. The combination with two shafts having their ends adjacent each other, of a sleeve secured to the end of each shaft and provided with a flange and a hub, a ring mounted 7 ing their ends adjacent each other, of means for coupling said ends comprising sleeves secured to the end of each shaft having their opposed faces separated by a suitable, distance, parallel flange members on the adj acent ends of the sleeves provided with an annular recess whose walls flare outwardly adjacent the periphery of said members, a laminated metal diskin each recess wnose diameter is greater than that of the flange members, means for securing the disks in the recesses which are located between the flaring portion and the inner edge of said recesses, one or more collars inter osed between the outer portions of the dis s, and means for securing the disks to the collars.

3. The combination with two shafts having their ends adjacent each other, of a sleeve secured to the end of each shaft and provided with a flange and a hub, an annular ring of the same outside diameter as the flange mounted on each hub adjacent said flange and in parallel relation thereto, the outer portion of the opposing faces of the ring and flange being curved outwardly, an annular laminated metal disk having its inner portion secured between each flange and its adjacent ring intermediate said curved portion of their faces .and said hub, the outer portion of the disk being of greater diameter than said flange and ring, one or more collars interposed between the outer portions of the disks, annular washers on the sides of the disks opposite the collars, and bolts passing through the washers, disks and collars which secure them together.

4. The combination with two shafts, of a sleeve secured to each and provided with a flange, a ring adaptedto be secured to each flange, said ring andflange having slightly curved opposing faces, a laminated sheet metal disk secured between each of said flanges and its cooperating ring and one or more collars interposed between the outer edges of said disks.

In witness whereof, we have hereunto set our hands this first day of August, 1907.

ELIHU THOMSON. RICHARD H; RICE. Witnesses: 2

JOHN A. MCMANUS, Jr., .HENRY O. WEs'rENDA P. 

